What Smith, O’Sullivan and Nolan are saying

I had the day off to attend to a family matter, leaving the 49ers beat in the capable hands of Mercury News scribe Darren Sabedra.

So today, I’m just posting straight talk from the major figures in the quarterback derby. These are the highlights from today’s transcripts. (Sorry for the cut and paste, but consider this your own chance to read between the lines.)

WHAT ALEX SMITH SAID:

Q: Alex, are you a little disappointed you aren’t going to start this game?

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Smith: “I’m not thinking about that right now. I’m worrying about Chicago and the reps I’m going to get, and what I need to do with them. I’m not worrying about any of that other stuff right now. I’m trying to take advantage of the things I can control.”

Q: Do you think it’s been a fair competition? Going into camp it was supposedly going to be that. Does it seem like it’s panned out that way?

Smith: “Like I said, I’m not getting into all that. I’ve got my reps out here and [I’m] just trying to take advantage of them and trying to do what I can with them. [I’m] not sure what they’re thinking or what is going on upstairs, but like I said, those are reps I’ll get and I need to get ready for them. It is a short week. I’m getting ready to play Chicago.”

Q: Are you feeling comfortable in the offense?

Smith: “Yeah, more and more. Obviously, the more I go on with it, the better I feel. The more reps I get with it, the more looks I get with at it, the better idea I get of what Coach Martz is trying to do with certain calls and certain things that we are trying to do as an offense. The better you can kind of understand why he’s calling things, the easier it is to and execute out there and make decisions. The more and more, the better feel I get.”

Q: The Bears announced their quarterback starter yesterday. Every other team seems to have all their ducks in a row. Is there any frustration among you guys that this is still ongoing heading into the third preseason game?

Smith: “I’m speaking honestly when I say, we all have enough on our plate, not to worry about everything else. I think with this offense, trying to get this team ready and all that stuff, I think is enough to worry about with all the installs and getting ready to play this Thursday. It’s not enough time to get into any other stuff.”

Q: You’ve been a starter your entire career. Have you thought about what it might be like going into the season, not being that guy?

Smith: “I’m not thinking about that now. When that comes, I’ll deal with it. That’s part of the game too, but until then, no. So, I’m focused in on what I need to do this Thursday.”

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Q: In your mind do you still think you are competing for the starting job?

Smith: “Yeah they haven’t said otherwise, so absolutely. I’m going out there treating it like that, you have to.”

Q: Why don’t you think you’ve gotten more reps?

Smith: “You’re asking the wrong person. [I] don’t know. I’m not sure. There are three of us. Reps are hard to come by right now, so it’s difficult. “

WHAT J.T. O’SULLIVAN SAID:

Q: How valuable have the extra reps been since August 7th and on?

O’Sullivan: “Reps are cherished in this league as a quarterback, so I mean every single rep, whether it be a game or practice, I try to make the absolute most out of. So these reps have been great. Obviously everybody wants to play, so I just try to make the most of every single one.”

Q: You’ve been in this situation before where you haven’t always had the reps. So, how hard is it to feel ready?

O’Sullivan: “It’s your job to be ready, so whether you feel it or not you’ve got to do whatever you have to do to make sure that you’re ready when your opportunity comes. I think the way to answer it is: it’s not easier, definitely, without getting more reps, but it’s your job to find a way to make it happen.”

Q: Any concerns that Bryant [Johnson], Arnaz [Battle] and Isaac [Bruce] haven’t been in the rotation much for you as we get closer to the regular season?

O’Sullivan: “Concern for me? No. I’m going out there to try to play my position as well as I can. Things that I can’t control, the health of other guys, is…I hope they’re ready to go just like you want your best players out there all the time, but it’s another opportunity for someone else to step up and make plays.”

WHAT MIKE NOLAN SAID:

Q: What kind of excitement does J.T. O’Sullivan bring to the offense?

Nolan: “I don’t want to be specific to a player because I think that’s unfair at this time. I’ll just say this, any quarterback that moves the ball and moves the team, obviously the players are going to be excited. They do. It’s no different than having a good player next to you if you’re and offensive linemen. You get some adrenaline flow from it because you know it’s going to make you look better. Like I said, in the quarterback position, more than any other, affects more guys, so therefore, they’ll get excited if they feel someone can make them look good.”

Q: You’d probably be saying that about whatever quarterback that was starting.

Nolan: “I would.”

Q: What about the way the team is responding to J.T.?

Nolan: “Specifically to J.T.?”

Q: Yes.

Nolan: “I really think that’s a player’s question, to be honest with you. I can’t answer it for them. But as you already said, you’re right, it’s anybody that plays that spot that’s effective is going to create excitement alone.”

Q: When you and Scot [McCloughan], and Mike [Martz] and Ted [Tollner] make the final decision on the starting quarterback, does how much money a player makes factor into that?

Nolan: “This decision’s going to be based on who we feel, at this point, gives us the best chances to win. That’s what we’ll do. But the other things.”

Q: Is that anything you deal with in your mind? Is that important for winning the game?

Nolan: “All we have is one. It’s not like it’s, ‘Oh my God, we have to win a game.’ It’s more, we only have one game, and we can’t beat Seattle. Arizona’s going to be our opening game. This week we have the Bears. And it just so happens that in preseason, we not only want to win the game, we want to play well in the game so that we build the confidence and the momentum that you want to have, I guess, really the confidence overall. So, that’s what it’s really about right now.”

Daniel Brown

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Boy, it looks like Ari Fleicher did a great job teaching these guys how not to answer questions.

Ross

these transcripts are great! don’t apologize! keep em up!

pmyster12

IT does not matter how many coordinators you have in 1 year!!! What matters is what you can do on the field and what you bring to the field as a QB in the NFL. Leadership, passing accuracy, NFL mentality. Plays are plays and passing is passing. If you can make an great pass in the NFL and be consistent about it your a good QB in the NFL.

boridge

pmyster12 – couldnt agree with you more. As an NFL QB, having a new system presented to you shouldn’t be an excuse for poor play. Granted, the beginings of a new system are always a learning process, but at some point in the season the QB needs to show that he can make plays happen. For example, look at Colt Brennan in Washington. He’s coming from one of the most unique college offenses in the country and is now being asked (as a rookie) to learn something new and make NFL type plays. Granted, it’s only pre-season but the kid is lighting it up. Why? Because he’s a gamer and he’s got “it”. I’m just not convinced that Alex has “it”. If he did, we would have seen some of “it” by now.

ontheedgeofacliff

im so sick of all the double talk and indecision, when is it enough already?

nolan KNOWS his days are numbered and he is trying desperately to keep his ship floating when the crew has already abandoned ship.